City Council to take up billboard issue

A controversial proposal to remove many of the billboards in Santa Clarita will be discussed Tuesday during a public hearing in front of the Santa Clarita City Council.

The proposal, which comes from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, would remove 118 billboards on 62 structures throughout Santa Clarita in exchange for the right to build three electronic billboards near Interstate 5 and Highway 14.

City officials say the proposal would fulfill a long-held goal and beautify some of the city’s corridors, including along Railroad Avenue and Soledad Canyon Road.

Some have criticized the proposal because it would entail construction of the electronic billboards — one located near the intersection of Interstate 5 and Magic Mountain Parkway, and two off Highway 14, one in Newhall and one in Canyon Country, according to the proposal.

“The three new digital billboard sign faces that would be added are each 14 feet tall and 48 feet wide and are double-sided covering 4,032 square feet,” reads a city fact sheet on the proposal. “Pole height for each of the three signs would vary between 54 feet and 64 feet tall.”

City officials say the deal would mean an estimated $450,000 to $600,000 in revenue for the city as rent for the new billboards.

Some opponents of the proposal include billboard companies, which currently lease land from Metro to house their billboard structures, and some local business owners who have said removing the boards would take away an effective advertising tool.

Part of Tuesday’s discussion will include a closed session conference between the city and Edwards Outdoor Advertising, a local billboard company.